ISLAMABAD, March 11: The Senate has shown a dismal performance in the second parliamentary year, ended on Friday, as over 95 per cent of total motions, resolutions and notices were either disallowed or lapsed in the last one year.

Official record of the Senate Secretariat shows that the upper house met for 90 days during its nine sessions held between March 12, 2004 to March 11, 2005, but the number of actual sittings was only 60.

The data reveals that out of 252 adjournment motions, submitted on various issues, only 10 were admitted for not more than two hours discussion. This shows that 96.03 per cent of the adjournment motions could not come up for discussion even on the issue of their admissibility. Moreover, out of 10 admitted adjournment motions, discussions were held on eight of them while two motions are still pending for a debate on a date to be fixed later.

Similarly, the Senate Secretariat received 163 calling attention notices, out of which statements were made by the ministers concerned on only eight notices. This shows that 95.7 per cent calling attention notices were either disallowed or lapsed.

Same is the case with the privilege motions as during the second parliamentary year, notices of 40 such motions were received, out of which only one motion, on the arrest and maltreatment of Senator Mohammad Ismail Buledi by the police near Hub Chowki in Balochistan, was taken up. The said privilege motion, filed by 11 senators, was referred to the Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges for consideration. Its report, however, is still awaited, the record shows.

The legislative performance of the Senate also remained low as only three government bills were introduced and referred to the standing committees concerned. The Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan Bill 2004, introduced during the first parliamentary year, is still pending for consideration in the house. However, the Senate passed two bills, which were submitted in the first parliamentary year. These bills were the Non- Performing Assets and Rehabilitation of Industrial Undertakings (Legal Proceedings) (Amendment) Bill 2004 and the Corporate and Industrial Restructuring Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2004.

In the last year, the National Assembly transmitted 14 bills, out of which the Senate considered and passed 12 bills. The remaining two bills, The Gwadar Port Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2004 and the Contempt of Court Bill 2004, lapsed as the 90 days period required for passage of the bills after their receipt from the National Assembly expired on January 12 and 17, this year, respectively.

As many as 17 private members’ bills were introduced in the Senate during the second parliamentary year, which are pending with the committees. Besides, 19 more private members’ bills are pending and likely to be introduced in the Senate in coming sessions, the data shows.

During the second parliamentary year, the Senate passed three government resolutions and nine private members’ resolutions.

One government resolution relates to the representation given to the members of the Senate in the Special Committee of the Parliament on Kashmir, headed by MNA Hamid Nasir Chattha.

Through the second resolution, the Senate supported a National Assembly resolution seeking membership of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. The Senate through a resolution also constituted a parliamentary committee comprising senators and members of the National Assembly to deal with Balochistan and inter-provincial harmony.